Be sure the organization you work with is non-profit and provides budgeting and financial management in addition to a debt management plan, and does so at little or no cost.

Be cautious of any organization that claims it can provide a quick fix to your credit problems, suggests you don’t pay all of your bills, provides you with no financial management education or charges substantial fees

What happens to a spouse’s credit report when he or she dies? By law, a creditor cannot automatically close a joint account or change the terms because of the death of one spouse. Generally, the creditor will ask the survivor to file a new credit application in his or her own name. After reviewing the new information, the creditor then will decide to continue to extend credit or alter the credit limit. You might want to open a new credit account in your name. When doing so, keep in mind that you must use only your name when applying. Including your deceased spouse’s name will result in a joint account. Experian® automatically updates its records with periodic reports from the Social Security Administration. When the update is made, your spouse’s credit history will be flagged to show that he or she has passed away and his or her name will be removed from any preapproved credit offer mailing lists.

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